Embodiments disclosed herein relate to a non-volatile memory device, and more particularly, to a non-volatile memory device which may program data by page without an erase, an operation method thereof, and devices having the non-volatile memory device.
A non-volatile memory device retains data stored in the non-volatile memory device, even though an external power supply is shut off. For example, a flash memory device is a non-volatile memory device which may perform a program operation and an erase operation electrically. The flash memory device may be divided in a NAND-type flash memory and a NOR-type flash memory.
The flash memory device typically performs an erase operation by block and performs a program operation by page. Generally, a block consists of 32 to 64 pages.
A difference of processes performed during the erase operation and the program operation may cause various problems. For example, when it is desired to correct only data stored in a particular page while other pages of a block are to remain unchanged, a typical flash memory device must still erase all of the pages of the block, and then re-write both the data to be corrected and the other pages of data. Such a method lowers a process speed and increases a number of program/erase (P/E) cycles, so that reliability and longevity of the flash memory device can be worsened.